Clinton Supporters Research Articles

Brexit, Trump, and the Polarizing Effect of Disillusionment

We investigate experiences of disillusionment as a source of political polarization. Disillusioning experiences motivate a search for meaning, and we propose that people respond by seeking reassurance in political ideologies, reflected in political polarization. We first tested this hypothesis in the context of two major political events: the European Union (EU) membership referendum in the United Kingdom and the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In Study 1, disillusionment stemming from the EU referendum outcome led “remain” supporters to express more extreme political views. In Study 2, we measured political stance and disillusionment before and after the U.S. presidential election. Political polarization occurred among Clinton supporters, and this was mediated by increased disillusionment levels. In Study 3, we manipulated disillusionment and found that disillusioned participants expressed stronger support for diverging forms of political activism. Consistent with our approach, this effect was mediated by epistemic motivations. Implications regarding the effect of political polarization in society are discussed.

The 2016 US presidential election and media on Instagram: Who was in the lead?

The present study is an effort to analyze the timing of media postings related to candidates Clinton and Trump on Instagram before and after the 2016 US presidential election. Hashtags are used to determine whether a posting was intended to support or oppose either candidate. We thus obtain four hourly time series: Clinton vs. Trump, supporters vs. opponents. Based on cross-wavelet analysis, we find that, at the 12-h period, Trump supporters were leading Trump opponents as well as Clinton supporters the days before the election, while Clinton opponents were often leading Clinton supporters: Trump supporters and Clinton opponents were eager to post media, while Trump opponents and Clinton supporters were sluggish. Considering election forecasts, our results come as a surprise.

Loss and loyalty: Change in political and gender identity among Clinton supporters after the 2016 U.S. presidential election

How do voters’ identities change after a candidate’s defeat? A longitudinal, within-subjects study used Hillary Clinton’s loss in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to explore social identity theory’s (SIT) tenet that threats to self-relevant groups motivate further connection to and affirmation of the group. Two independent samples (university students and adults on Mechanical Turk) were assessed before and after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. After Hillary Clinton’s defeat, those who reported voting for Clinton affirmed their political and gender identities in several ways, such as increasing their identification with Clinton. These ecologically valid results are consistent with SIT, and suggest supporters affirm their identities following a threat such as the defeat of their candidate during a high-stakes election. We discuss the implications of these findings within the context of the increasingly polarized U.S. electorate.

Primary Politics: Race, Gender, and Age in the 2008 Democratic Primary

Despite Barack Obama’s momentum in the early phase of the Democratic nomination, the process of selecting a nominee took longer than usual. Obama’s momentum, it seems, got stuck, and the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination was an unusually drawn out affair. Even when it appeared Barack Obama would win the nomination, many Clinton supporters said they would support John McCain in the general election. Why were some Democrats unwilling to join the Obama bandwagon once he emerged as a viable front‐runner – and ultimately the Democratic nominee? In this paper we bring a unique set of panel data from the 2008 Cooperative Campaign Analysis Project (CCAP) to bear on questions about primary vote choice, examining the evolution of preferences over the unusually long and intense 2008 Democratic presidential nomination campaign. Attitudes about race predict vote choice in partisan contests; here we show that (conditional on the presence of a black candidate) these attitudes help explain the dynamics of candidate support over the prolonged intra‐party contest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Revisiting the Divisive Primary Hypothesis: 2008 and the Clinton—Obama Nomination Battle

The 2008 Democratic primary was marked by divisiveness as notable as its historic candidates. And while Barack Obama won the general election,political scientists would be remiss in studying divisive primary effects only when they are electorally decisive. Accordingly, we examine this largely forgotten storyline, searching for these effects throughout different segments of the electorate. Our analysis pursues evidence at multiple levels, focusing on the illustrative case of Franklin County in the bellwether state of Ohio. First, we use aggregate data and ecological inference to ascertain levels of abstention and defection among Clinton supporters, noting patterns in precincts. Next, we analyze original survey data drawn from individuals observed displaying yard signs, examining rates of participation within this engaged population. Overall, the evidence suggests that the primary produced lasting effects in terms of turnout, defection, and other participatory acts—effects that might have cost Obama the presidency under different circumstances.

Participatory democracy and Hillary Clinton's marginalized fandom

After the drawn-out, heated contest for the Democratic Party presidential nomination and Senator Obama's victory over Senator Clinton, a segment of Clinton's supporters are threatening to leave the party rather than fall in line behind the nominee. This essay argues that the battle between Clinton's and Obama's followers is best understood as a war between fan bases, with Obama enthusiasts constituting as the dominant fandom and Clinton voters occupying the position of marginalized fandom. Marginalized fandoms tend to blame the opposing fan base, intermediaries, and The Powers That Be for their fan campaigns' losses, and Clinton's fans are adhering to this pattern. However, the Clinton marginalized fandom's complaints can be regarded as valuable critiques that, if noted rather than dismissed, could greatly strengthen participatory democracy in the United States.

Sex, Lies, and Presidential Leadership: Interpretations of the Office

The plethora of arguments surrounding the events of the Monica Lewinsky affair and Clinton's resulting impeachment trial provide us with valuable material through which we can begin to understand the varying definitions of what the presidency is and how it should operate. Arguments from the trial transcripts and reports in various media outlets provide perspective on the competing definitions of presidential power and the president's role in the national polity. In other words, the arguments about the immediate fate of President Clinton reveal more than political predilections. They also reveal deeply embedded definitions of presidential power, its limitations, and the proper function of the presidency in the contemporary political system.

Kenneth Starr's image repair discourse viewed in 20/20

Kenneth Starr's investigation led to the impeachment and trial of President William Jefferson Clinton. During this process, Starr and his investigation were the subject of repeated attacks from Clinton, Clinton's supporters, and the news media. In November of 1998, Starr was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on 20/20 in an obvious attempt to repair his image. In this critical analysis, we sketch the theory of image repair discourse (used as a critical lens for this investigation), identify the accusations treated in the interview, analyze Starr's discourse, and evaluate the effectiveness of his image repair discourse. We conclude that his image repair effort was ineffectual (public opinion data are consistent with our evaluation). The evaluation stresses that both selection and implementation of image repair strategies influence effectiveness, argues that bolstering may proceed through identification with the audience, and suggests that the discourse should be internally consistent.

Right‐wing opposition to Bill Clinton and his presidency: an annotated bibliography

President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton presidency, systematically have sought to undermine this president with the goal of bringing down his presidency and running him out of office; and that they have sought non‐electoral means to remove him from office, including Travelgate, the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, the Filegate controversy, and the Monica Lewinsky matter. This bibliography identifies these and other means by presenting citations about these individuals and organizations that have opposed Clinton. The bibliography is divided into five sections: General; “The conspiracy stream of conspiracy commerce”, a White House‐produced “report” presenting its view of a right‐wing conspiracy against the Clinton presidency; Funding; Conservative organizations; and Publishing/media. Many of the annotations note the links among these key players.

False Consensus Bias and Gender: Presidential Preferences and the Right to Choose

Both Clinton supporters and pro-choice advocates (31 male and 79 female students of psychology) underestimated the prevalence of their own opinions; yet their estimates were higher than those made by individuals with differing opinions. Although both women and men strongly and similarly favored pro-choice over pro-life, women presumed that men would be less likely to favor the pro-choice position.